Regulating devices of this type are known for example through the product description "Monogyr Dialog" of the Landis & Gyr Co., Zug (Switzerland). Such devices are able to solve various control and regulating problems in that a microprocessor runs a program which carries out these control functions and regulating tasks. The program is stored in a program memory and uses data stored in a data memory. The program memory is as a rule a read-only memory (ROM). Different program flows are made possible by the fact that different programm parts are serviced on basis of definite data. The data which influence the program flow are as a rule entered on the one hand via a control panel and are called up by peripherals on the other hand.
If such a regulating device is to be used universally, its user must be able to program it. The more varied the possibilities of the regulating device, the more complicated are in general the actions to be undertaken by the user. In a regulating device used to regulate heating, ventilation and air conditioning plants a number of different parameters and factors are to be entered by the user into the regulating device. To cite some examples: The information as to what room temperature for which given time period is to be controlled by the regulating device must be entered in said regulating device; a program selection must be made for the regulating device to enable it to carry out certain different control tasks in view of the differences in the plant to be controlled.
In known regulating devices the applicable operating method is usually different for each device and can be understood by the user only with difficulty, so that the regulating device must generally be accompanied by voluminous and extensively illustrated operating manuals. If the user wishes to act upon the regulating device he must refer to this operating manual to obtain information on the operations method for whatever option of the regulating device is desired at the time. In many cases the operating methods are actually so difficult to understand that the user must call on a specialist who is then responsible for adjusting the regulating device in accordance with the user's wishes.
It is the object of the instant invention to create a control or regulating device which makes it possible to render the dialog between operator and control or regulating device easy to understand and to grasp by using the simplest possible resources.